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Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban stated that he would invite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to visit Hungary and guarantee that an International Criminal Court arrest warrant against Netanyahu would not be observed. This is in contrast to several European leaders, such as Ireland’s Prime Minister Simon Harris, who have promised to respect the court’s decision. The ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza conflict. Countries like the Netherlands, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, and Slovenia have committed to meeting their obligations under the Rome Statute and International Law.
Orban, who has a close political relationship with Netanyahu, expressed his belief that the ICC’s arrest warrant was wrong and invited Netanyahu to visit Hungary in an environment of adequate safety. Both Hungary and the Czech Republic, who have been strong supporters of Israel within the EU, have indicated that they will uphold their international legal obligations. The EU has been divided in its response, with EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell calling for respect and implementation of the court decision while Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala criticized the ICC decision, stating that it undermines the court’s authority. Netanyahu and the White House have strongly condemned the ICC decision, emphasizing that the warrants are not political.
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